Presenting…The Doggies Almanac 2016

The Doggies Almanac was launched on December 14 at the North Fitzroy Arms. It has been very popular. We continue to receive wonderful responses via email and Facebook.

This year we were so overjoyed by the Dogs season, and by their remarkable premiership, that we decided to publish a special (extra) edition of the Almanac.

The Doggies Almanac is a celebration of a wonderful season and premiership. It’s a celebration of footy.

Thirty-seven Dogs fans have written more than 50 essays about the 2016 season, and on their lives as Doggies supporters. The book includes a game by game account of the year, memoir, reflection, and is full of the joy of a superb victory.

Pieces include:

Mic Rees on following the Dogs – because he grew up in the West.

Judy Lockwood who used to sleep with the footy jumper given to her by Ted Whitten.

One hundred-gamer Ian Morrison (remember Morro!) on the joy of the Dogs past players.

Elise Maher on her miracle baby, Harper, who has not seen a Doggies loss in her lifetime.

Tess Pryor on her neighbours – four generations of Doggies.

Neil Anderson on returning to his childhood home and the Western Oval the day after the Grand Final.

Dean Lusher’s beautiful reflection: ‘Transformation’.

Bill Ellis on watching the Grand Final at the Western Oval.

Andrew Gigacz on belief.

Queensland arrivals Donna Hannan and Russell Griggs on being drawn into footy and the Dogs because they live in Seddon.

Spencer Gigacz’s salute to Bob Murphy.

Rob Heath on how Fight Back played out in 1989.

David Jacobson who blames his sister.

Lee Wapling on abandoning his family, jumping on a plane in Paris in a desperate bid to get home.

plus extended match reports, some great pics and a poem or two (thanks to Ross Gillett and Bruce Dawe.)

And how about Jim Pavlidis’s brilliant painting of Liam Picken’s Grand Final mark!

It’s an absolute must-have for Doggies and those who love great stories.

I’m finally believing it really did happen for us Doggy supporters after seeing the cover of this special edition of the Almanac.
A bit like Jason Johanissen’s goal that was disallowed, I was waiting for some sort of appeal from the other Clubs or from Ian Collins or someone else indicating they had found a loop-hole about teams not being awarded the premiership starting from seventh place.
Anyway, now I’m a believer and appreciated the opportunity to describe that glorious weekend in the Almanac.
The cover is fantastic, especially drawn by a Doggies fan.

Will this be available at the Adelaide launch of the Footy Almanac? I know some people who would really love to have this…

That’s if there’s going to be an Adelaide launch… the Melburnian contingent seem to have double-booked themselves in our week of weeks, gathering in Fitzroy instead on Test Eve perhaps to avoid what will be armageddon at the crease beneath the Adelaide sunset. I can’t blame you. The local partygoers are already making alternate plans for Day 4…

As a St Kilda fan who can only hope for what all you Doggies fans have right now, i’m sure many of these stories will sound familiar, but the conclusion will still confuse me.
Well done Dogs and well done to the folk at the Almanac for producing such a book.

what a wonderful grand final and an emotional ride for the doggies.
Living in Yarraville and playing Bball at Whitten oval its hard not to have the Dogs as your second team, even as a Collingwood supporter. Cant wait to read the book…

PS an old friend of mine, whose an amazing artist has an amazing picture of the very last game at Whitten Oval. Got sued by the AFL for selling it even back in those days. It would have made a great cover also, not taking anything away from this one.
Keep up the great work JTH

Will promote to my colleagues and via FB and Twitter. My husband read a beautiful letter to the editor of The Age on the Monday after the flag (from a guy in England) and he was so moved by the sentiments of the letter, he broke down in tears. Woof woof!

Social media is helping to spread the word about the Doggies Almanac. There was a post last night from a supporter’s group fan on Facebook who was excited about finding a copy at Readings Bookshop. She showed a copy of the cover which was a great way to advertise the Almanac for others. She was also hoping to get Liam Picken to sign her copy when she goes to the Bulldog’s Christmas party.

Always good to read such a good review from outside the Almanackery. For all Bulldog supporters there is also an excellent article about the rise and ultimate triumph of the Dogs written by Jay Croucher.

I’ve just sent you an email with the details but I am just sorting a batch out now, so if anyone else wants to order one $100 which includes a copy of the book, then let me know. j.t.h@footyalmanac.com.au

The far-reaching power of the Almanac. This little anecdote will please Bulldog supporters and interest all other supporters.
My wife was meeting her friend for lunch in nearby Camperdown. I expected them to be discussing everything but footy, including teacher retirement, real-estate and the Arts. But not footy.
How wrong I was and how envious I was when I was told that Fiona Wood (Easton’s mother) came over to their table for a chat. My wife had met her many years ago but she was a good friend of my wife’s friend Lyn, as they both lived locally in Camperdown.
They were soon talking about Easton and the Bulldog’s prospects for the year ahead. My wife Sharyn said that her husband Neil would love to be here talking about the Bulldogs and went on to say that he writes for the Footy Almanac. She asked Fiona had she heard of that book. Fiona said she was given a copy of the 2015 edition, but not the Doggies Almanac and wanted to know how to get a copy.
Sharyn said we had a spare copy at home and offered to send one on to her which is what I’m about to do. The idea of passing on a copy of the Doggies Almanac to the mother of the premiership captain just added to the Bulldog celebrations that just keep rolling on.

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